Following the news that CMT’s Brian Philips will be stepping down, CMT has named Frank Tanki as General Manager of the brand, expanding his current role as General Manager of TV Land to include oversight of both iconic brands. He will work from both New York and Nashville offices.

A 12-year veteran of Viacom, most recently as the EVP of marketing and creative for Spike TV, Tanki will be responsible for the day-to-day operations at CMT, including Programming, Marketing & Creative and Communications, and will work closely with CMT’s development team to set the overall strategy for the brand. He will continue to report directly to Kevin Kay, President of Spike (soon to be Paramount Network), TV Land and CMT.

In his new role, Tanki will be supported by CMT’s executive team, including Suzanne Norman (SVP of Programming & Operations), Anthony Barton (SVP of Consumer Marketing and Creative), Kurt Patat (SVP of Corporate Communications) and Margaret Comeaux (VP of Production – Music & Events).

Leslie Fram (SVP Music Strategy & Talent) will report to Tanki and Bruce Gillmer, the Head of Music and Music Talent for the Global Entertainment Group.

To centralize development, Jayson Dinsmore (EVP of Development & Production) will now report to Keith Cox, President of Production & Development for the Paramount Network and TV Land.

“I am honored and thrilled to be joining the CMT family,” Tanki said in an internal memo obtained by MusicRow. “I’m a longtime fan of the channel and thoroughly impressed by all the incredible work you’ve done, especially in the last year…Our goal will be to continue CMT’s upward trajectory to further extend the power of our palpable voice. Working together, we’ll develop new opportunities that tap the combined reach of both CMT and TV Land like never before. The opportunities are endless and each of you will play a critical role in our success.”

In the memo, Tanki also thanked Philips for his accomplishments and leadership at CMT.

“Brian has led the brand to an ambitious resurgence; setting a high-bar excellence that I will strive to hit. He has kindly agreed to join me and the senior team as we begin the transition process. And I want to thank him for that commitment.”

“CMT is one of the most distinct brands in all of media and Frank is the perfect leader to guide the team to new summits of success,” said Kevin Kay, President of Spike, TV Land and CMT. “I am confident that Frank will apply the same ingenuity that has been the hallmark of his career at Viacom to ensure that CMT continues to thrive, while keeping the network true to its brand.”

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About the Author

Jessica Nicholson is a staff writer with MusicRow Enterprises. Her previous music journalism experience includes work with Country Weekly magazine, TasteofCountry.com and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) magazine. She holds a BBA degree in Music Business and Marketing from Belmont University. She welcomes your feedback at [email protected]